Portable electronic device to establish public loyalty to a medium or similar

ABSTRACT

This device validates participation of an individual in an operation where coded information on an information bearing medium must be read. It comprises: an input interface, processing means comprising means of validation on the basis of said participation, which means being adapted to prevent said validation if a variable numeric value contained in said information coincides with variable numeric values previously held in memory; at least one memory inaccessible from said input interface and managed by said processing means in order to store in memory, for a predetermined period, information representative of said variable numeric values, and input interface for outward transmission from the device of an output code X representative of participations validated by the processing means, and electric power source for the various electric circuits in the device. It applications are in televised, radio, or other games.

The invention relates to a portable electronic device allowing theimplementation of operations essentially intended to establish customeror public loyalty to a medium, a service, a product, or other things.

Commercial or similar operations intending to establish customer orpublic loyalty by allocation of winnings (prize in kind or in cash,price reduction on a product or a service, etc . . . ) as a reward forthat loyalty are extremely widespread. These operations can assume themost various forms and their methods are generally specific to eachoperation. Because of this they are costly, limited in time, relativelyinappropriate to a system involving several partners and their impactcannot always be measured accurately.

The problem of establishing public loyalty is particularly crucial inthe field of the press, radio, television and other media for which asignificant proportion of their resources arises from publicity,sponsorship or similar.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a portable electronic devicewhich offers new possibilities for the use of operations to establishcustomer or public loyalty involving the use by the customers or thepublic of renewable information which is made available to them onsuitable information media (press, radio, television, variousplacarding, etc . . . )

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a portable electronicdevice for validating the participation of an individual in at least oneoperation using a medium involving the use by the said individual of atleast one encoded item of information supplied by at least one mediumcharacterised in that it comprises:

at least one input interface to allow the entering of the said encodedinformation into the device by the individual,

at least one memory which is inaccessible from the said input interface

means of processing the said information comprising:

means of decoding the said information,

means of extracting a variable numerical value from the said decodedinformation,

means of comparing the said variable numerical value with variablenumerical values previously stored in the memory,

means of conditional validation of the said participation as a functionof the said decoded information, the said means being adapted toprohibit the validation of the said participation if the said variablenumerical value coincides with one of the said previously storedvariable numerical values, otherwise to validate the said participationand to store the said decoded variable numerical value in the memory,

means of storage, during a predetermined period of time, of the saidvariable numerical values,

an output interface to transmit to the exterior of the device an outputcode representative of participation validated by the means ofprocessing, and

an electrical power supply source for the various electronic circuits ofthe device.

Preferably, the said decoded information comprises a dating datum andthe said means of processing are adapted not to take account of the saidparticipation when the said dating datum is representative of a dateprior to a reference date contained in the device and to delete from thesaid memory, at each change of the said reference date, the saidinformation representative of previously stored variable numericalvalues.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the said referencedate is constituted by the most recent dating datum associated with apreviously stored numerical value and the validation means are adaptedto validate the said participation if the decoded dating datum isidentical to or later than the said reference date.

Preferably, the said numerical value is an order number and the saidmeans of processing are adapted to validate the said participation if,in the case of an identical date, the decoded order number and the lastorder number stored comply with an order relationship stored in thedevice.

Thus the users will only be able to enter information into their devicein the chronological order desired by the distributor of thatinformation. Preferably, provision is made that, for a given period(date), the users can only be rewarded for their participation if theycarry out the necessary procedure within a predetermined period. Inorder to do this, the means of processing are programmed to transmit anoutput code which is representative only of participations which arevalidated at the most recent stored date. This date appears in encodedform in the output code, which ensures a certification of the winningsobtained with the device. The amount of these winnings can be the sum ofa number of points obtained for each validation and/or can be calculatedby the means of processing as a function, for example, of the number ofvalidated participations for a given date, and also appears in encodedform in the output code.

In other words, the user of a device will see each of his participationsvalidated on condition that the encoded information is entered into thedevice in the prescribed order, this order being made known to users byappropriate means (placarding, advertisements, etc . . . ) which are notpart of the present invention. The risk of fraud is relatively lowbecause a user who seeks to enter random information systematically intohis device for the purpose of cracking the encoding methods used couldnot hope to win more than a user who is taking part in all of the"draws".

However, it is necessary to ensure that a user will not be able to winby entering the same encoded information several times. The device musttherefore be capable of keeping track of the numerical values which havepreviously been validated. If the encoded information which is broadcastdoes not contain any dating data, the device must store all of thenumerical values. This results in the use of memories of very highcapacity if it is desired that it should be possible to use the deviceover long periods (several months to several years). The cost of thedevice can be prohibitively increased because of this.

The device according to the first embodiment of the invention allows aconsiderable reduction in the memory capacity necessary because themeans of processing are adapted to store only the set of numericalvalues associated with the current date and the code representative ofthis date, any numerical value associated with a prior date beingrejected by the device. However, there still remains a non-negligiblerisk of the device being rendered almost inoperative by the accidentalentry of a random item of encoded information which would be taken intoaccount by the means of processing and would include a dating datum muchlater than the current date. Furthermore, in such a configuration,security requires that the output code should include the date at whichthe winnings were obtained and, consequently, that the winnings shouldbe erased at each entry of an item of encoded information bearing a newdate. The user must therefore be credited with his winnings with anauthorised organisation before each change of date, which substantiallylimits the possibilities of exploitation of the device.

In order to overcome these disadvantages, according to a secondpreferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a clockcoupled to the means of processing in order to supply an absolutereference date, the means of processing being adapted to authorise thesaid comparison of the decoded variable numerical value with thepreviously stored variable numerical values when there is coincidencebetween the dating datum and the absolute reference date. Thus, thedevice only requires a memory capacity limited to the maximum number ofitems of information capable of being entered into the device over agiven period (date) and the latter is furthermore protected from thetaking into account and validation of information which would bear adate later than the current date.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the said memorycomprises at least one memory unit forming a table whose memorylocations, in each of which an item of information representative of anumerical value is capable of being stored, have as addresses thenumerical values capable of being contained in the encoded informationdistributed on the said information medium. This solution minimises thesize of the memory necessary for storing, over a given period (date),the numerical values entered into the device.

According to another characteristic, the said memory comprises severalmemory units which are selectively addressable by the said means ofprocessing as a function of the degree of resolution (day, week, etc . .. ) of the said dating datum.

According to another characteristic, the memory comprises several memoryunits selectively addressable by the said means of processing as afunction of an order datum contained in the said encoded information andrepresentative of the presence or absence of a condition relating to theorder of entry of the said encoded information into the device. In thisway the memory can comprise at least a first memory unit whose memorylocations are directly addressable in response to the detection of anorder datum representative of an absence of the said condition, and atleast one second memory unit addressable according to a predeterminedaddressing sequence in response to the detection of a datumrepresentative of a condition relating to the order of entry of the saidencoded information. Preferably, the second memory unit is a registeradapted to store a new order number only if its value is greater thanthat of the order number which is stored in it.

According to yet another characteristic, the memory comprises severalmemory units selectively addressable by the said means of processing asa function of a datum of the said encoded information which isrepresentative of the nature of the medium of the said encodedinformation.

Preferably, the means of processing comprise at least one winningscounter which is incremented at each validation of a participation. Themeans of processing can be adapted to increment the winnings counter bya quantity depending on a winnings datum contained in the said encodedinformation. As a variant, or in combination, the means of processingcan be adapted to increment the winnings counter by a quantity which iscalculated, according to a predetermined law stored in the said device,as a function of one or more other data contained in the decodedinformation and/or the information stored temporarily or permanently inthe device.

Preferably, the means of processing also comprise means of errorchecking and/or consistency checking in order to check the said encodedinformation as a function of at least one check code contained in thesaid information.

The means of processing can also comprise means for processing,according to a predetermined rule, as a function of at least one secretdatum stored in the device, a random datum entered into the device, andfor storing an item of information representative of the result of thesaid processing. This characteristic allows the carrying out of alottery which, for example, will be reserved only for those users whowill have complied with certain criteria, for example those who willhave entered into their device all of the encoded information which willhave been made available to them over a given period (date). The drawwill be able to result, for example, from a processing according to apredetermined law of the random datum as a function of an internalidentification number stored permanently in the device. Users having wonin this lottery will thus be able to benefit from bigger prizes (majorprizes).

According to another characteristic of the invention, the means ofprocessing comprise means of debiting and authenticating, in associationwith an authorised organisation, winnings taken into account in thedevice, the said debiting and authenticating means being adapted tosupply a composite output code by encoding, according to a first givenalgorithm as a function of an external item of control informationcomprising a random number and supplied from the said server, the saiddebited winnings, the said reference date and an identification codepeculiar to the device and stored in storage means, the said authorisedorganisation being adapted to carry out, by means of the said randomnumber, according to a second algorithm correlated with the firstalgorithm, a computation on the said composite output code in order todecode the said winnings and to compute an external identification code,the said winnings being authenticated when there is consistency betweenthe said external identification code and an item of check informationknown to the server and when the said reference date is valid.Preferably, the said control information comprises the amount of thewinnings that the user wishes to have debited from his device and themeans of processing comprise means of comparing the winnings stored inthe said counter with the winnings to be debited and of decrementing thesaid counter as a function of the result of the said comparison.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a winningscounter is associated with each medium of the said encoded informationand the said control information comprises a datum representative of thesaid medium, the said winnings being that taken into account in thecounter identified by the said datum.

According to one characteristic the means of processing comprise meansof inhibiting the validation means in response to the delivery of thesaid composite output code and of making the said validation meansoperational and debiting the said winnings counter in response to theentry into the said device of an enabling code supplied by the saidserver when the said winnings are authenticated.

The input interface of the device can be constituted from one or moremeans such as a numeric or alphanumeric keypad, optical receiving meansfor reading the said encoded information from a display screen, or barcode reading means.

The output interface can be constituted by a simple display screen, forexample a liquid crystal display screen. However, the device may alsocomprise means of transmission of any appropriate type, whether this beoptical, electrical, radio, acoustic or of other type, with or withoutremovable hardware connection with the server, in order to transmit thepreviously mentioned composite code to the server.

Preferably, the said memory for storing information representative ofthe said numerical values is random access memory and the means ofprocessing are constituted by a programmed microcomputer. According to apreferred embodiment, the microcomputer, its random access memories andread only memories and their interface buses are produced on the samesemiconductor chip according to the so-called "monochip" technology.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge fromthe following description of an embodiment illustrated by the appendeddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a portable electronic deviceaccording to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the casing of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in the direction of the arrow III, in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the use of the device according to theinvention in association with a television receiver set.

FIG. 5 is a functional diagram showing the implementation of games orsimilar things by means of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the function of authentication ofwinnings which is carried out with the device of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a portable electronicdevice according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a simplified block diagram of the device of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the casing of a portable electronic deviceaccording to a third embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3, it is possibleto see a portable electronic device 1 allowing the implementation ofoperations essentially intended to establish customer or public loyaltyto a medium, service, product or other things.

In the rest of the description, the term "game" will refer to the usewhich is thus made of the device.

A device of similar structure is described in detail in the Frenchpatent applications 2 630 561 and 89 06848 to which reference can bemade. This device comprises an outer casing 2 of rectangularparallelepipedic shape, preferably made of plastic material, and whosethickness e (FIG. 3) is small compared with its width 1, and its lengthL. Preferably, the size of the casing is adapted so that the latter canbe held in one hand.

The device comprises optical receiving means R advantageouslyconstituted by phototransistors 3 (FIGS. 2 and 3) disposed on the edgeof the small side of the casing 2, and in particular in alignment. Inthe considered example, the phototransistors are three in number.

As a variant, or in addition to the phototransistors intended to readinformation on a video screen, the device 1 may be equipped with aconventional bar code reader. This type of reader is perfectlyconventional and has not been shown in the drawing. In the rest of thedescription, it will therefore be assumed, unless otherwise prescribed,that the optical receiving means R indifferently denote the previouslymentioned system of three phototransistors 3 or the bar code reader.

The receiving means R, as shown in FIG. 1, are connected to amicrocomputer 4 by the intermediary of an adapter circuit 5. As thereceiving means is a system of three phototransistors, the adaptercircuit 5 is adapted to carry out, as described in the previouslymentioned French patent application 2 630 561, a self-adapting to aterminal screen or television receiver screen.

The device 1 comprises a display 6, preferably a liquid crystal display(LCD) forming a rectangular screen (FIG. 2 on the casing). Preferably,this screen 7 is provided to display eight aligned alphanumericcharacters. The display 6 allows the display of information coming fromthe microcomputer.

An electrical power source 9, generally constituted by a small-sizedelectric battery, is provided to supply the various circuits.Preferably, this battery is embedded in the casing during themanufacture of the device in such a way that it is rendered inaccessibleand to prevent its replacement and any access to the power supplyconductors of the various electronic circuits of the device, which arealso embedded in the casing 2.

The device furthermore comprises a keypad 8 constituted in particular,as shown in FIG. 2, by keys t of which ten correspond to the digits 0 to9 respectively. The keypad 8 is completed by a certain number offunction keys, namely:

a "TELE" key which allows the change into optical mode for the remoteloading of an item of encoded information from a screen; as a variant,this key may be eliminated if the microcomputer 4 is programmed to beactuated by interrupts coming from the optical receiving R andprocessing 5 means;

a "C" key which allows an incorrect data entry to be cancelled;

an "ENT" key which allows a data entry to be accepted;

an "ACTION" key which allows a change into game mode, for theimplementation of games not requiring the reception of data by the meansR;

a "CL" key which allows the winnings achieved with the device to bedisplayed on the screen;

an "ID" key which allows a change into identification mode if the deviceis equipped with this function and allows the implementation of a manualcertification and authentication procedure.

The microcomputer 4 is a masked microcomputer, produced in CMOStechnology. It can be of the MOTOROLA MC68HC05B6 type for aself-programmable microcomputer version, or of the MEC 75308 type for aRAM storage memory version, or of the specific circuit (ASIC) type for aprotected RAM version. The specific circuit will be developed from astandard microcomputer of the preceding types in which memory protectionmeans will be included. It will be possible for these protection meansto be constituted by a fuse which is blown after the memory is written.

The microcomputer comprises a read only memory (ROM) 11 and a storagememory 12. The read only memory 11 is organised into two zones, namely:

a program zone in which are stored the instructions relating to:

the optical receiving and decoding function;

the possible identification function;

the authentication function;

the function of personalisation of the device;

the application functions allowing the implementation of the games whichwill be described below;

and a manufacturing zone for storing information relating to themanufacture of the device and for initialising the product, thisinformation concerning:

the customer code, it being understood that the customer does not denotethe final user;

the number of the mask used for the microcomputer;

the manufacturing key, in particular constituted by 128 bits, allowingcontrol of the personalisation.

The storage memory 12 of the device contains two categories of data,namely:

operating data for the storage of information relating to the gamesand/or bets implemented with the device, or other applications if theread only memory is programmed for this purpose; and

personalisation data containing information relating to:

the confidential code, if the identification function is programmed inread only memory;

the secret authentication key;

the operating parameters (for example inhibition of the card after fourfailed attempts at identification);

the various secret decoding key or keys necessary to implement games bymeans of the device;

the authorised service life of the device.

The storage memory 12 may be a PROX or an EEPROM, or, advantageously, aRAM backed up by the supply source. The RAM memory is inaccessible fromoutside the device and any attempt at access causes the erasure of theinformation written in it and renders the device inoperative. Thepersonalisation data are stored in it once and for all; the operatingdata can be changed. The protection of the personalisation data in RAMmemory 12 results simply from the structured programming of themicrocomputer 4.

The data bus and the address bus (not shown in the drawings) of themicrocomputer 4 are not accessible from outside, in order to render itimpossible to carry out a reading or a fraudulent modification, from theoutside, of the information contained in the read only memory 11 and thestorage memory 12 of the device 1.

If the microcomputer 4 is programmed to provide an identificationfunction, the device can only be rendered active after operating the IDkey and entering, on the keypad 8, a confidential PIN code identifyingthe user of the device. This confidential code is known only to theholder of the device 1. The program stored in the memory 11 canfurthermore be provided to inhibit the device 1 after the consecutiveinput of a certain number of incorrect confidential codes on the keypad8, for example four codes. The device 1 then becomes useless and there-actuating of the device can only be provided by means of a specialprocedure, for example in a server centre.

Optionally, the device 1 can be provided with means 14 of transmissionof data to the exterior, in particular to a server, for the purpose ofauthentication and of allocation to the user of the device of winningswhich he has obtained with that device. These transmission means can beof optical, electric, radio, acoustic or other type and can assume anyappropriate form known to those skilled in the art. As a variant, thetransmission of data to the exterior of the device can be provided bythe reading of information displayed on the display 6 by means of adevice specially adapted for this purpose, for example a device such asdescribed in the French patent application 89 10201.

Apart from the system clock (not shown) peculiar to the microcomputer 4,the device 1 is also provided with a clock 10. This clock can beconstituted for example by a timebase 10A and a counter 10B permanentlysupplied by the power supply source 9. Each time its contents overflow,that is to say at regular intervals, the counter 10B sends an alarmpulse to the microcomputer 4. The latter increments the time elapsedsince the personalisation of the device and then returns to the standbystate until the appearance of the next pulse from the counter 10B. Whenthe authorised service life of the device has elapsed, this informationbeing stored in the memory 12 during the personalisation of the device,the microcomputer 4 is programmed to inhibit automatically thefunctioning of the device 1, for example by erasing the content of thepersonalisation data in the memory 12.

The clock 10 also has the function of supplying the microcomputer 4 withan absolute reference date, namely the day and week in progress, whichare represented by numerical codes. The current date codes are stored inthe memory 12 during the personalisation of the device and are thenupdated as described above. The code S for the week changes each weekaccording to a predetermined law, while the code i for the day iscyclic. Knowledge of an absolute reference date allows the microcomputer4 to validate the participation of an individual in a draw, this termbeing defined below.

This absolute reference date can also be used during the winningsauthentication procedure, which will be described below.

The device which has just been described is intended to allow its userto participate in games by entering into this device encoded informationmade available to him in the press, by television, by radio, onpublicity placards, on products displayed at points of sale, etc . . . .In the following text, these various media will be called media, a"multi-media" game denoting a game which calls for the reading ofencoded information on several media of different types.

The implementation of games by means of the device according to theinvention will now be described with reference also to FIG. 5. In therest of the description, the operation consisting in entering an item ofencoded information such as a number into the device, which informationwill be validated or not validated subsequently and will possibly giverise to a computation of winnings, will be called a "draw". This drawconcept does not imply an intervention of chance: any user entering inhis device an item of encoded information which is supplied to him forthis purpose by a medium will have his participation in the gamevalidated and winnings will possibly be allocated to him. However, in aparticular embodiment of the invention, when the user has complied withcertain conditions (participation in a minimum number of draws forexample), the microcomputer is programmed to process an arbitrary itemof information of given format entered by the user, thus allowingselection of users who will be able to benefit from rewards or winningsbigger than those to which they are entitled simply by theirparticipation.

In order to participate in organised games and to carry out draws, inthe sense of the word which excludes any intervention of chance, theuser must simply look at the television, listen to the radio, readcertain newspapers, etc . . . , over defined periods (day, week), andenter encoded information supplied by these media into his device.

The keypad allows the user to enter an item of information read from orheard on any medium (television, radio newspaper, magazine, placard,articles for sale in a shop, etc . . . ). The optical receiving meansformed from phototransistors allow the optical reading of encodedinformation on a video screen of the television or data communicationstype, or on another monitor accessible to the public. This informationis for example transmitted by a transmitting station E, to a televisionreceiver 16 and is displayed on the screen 15 of the latter in the formof luminous bars P (FIG. 4) and it is remote loaded into the device 1 byoperating the "TELE" key while placing the phototransistors 3 againstthe luminous bars. This method of remote loading has been described inthe French patent application 2 630 561 to which reference can be made.Finally, the bar code reader allows the reading of information printedin a newspaper, a magazine, articles for sale in a shop, etc . . . .

The encoded information made available to users on these different mediacomprise a predefined format and a certain number of fields capable ofbeing recognised by the device. The encoding of the information can makeuse of numerous mathematical methods well known to encoding specialists.

The encoded information entered by the intermediary of the userinterface is applied to the microcomputer 4 in the form of a binarynumber, after processing and/or conversion by appropriate conventionalmeans if it appears in another form, for example in numerical oralphanumerical form for entry on the keypad. The microcomputer 4, whichis programmed in a conventional manner for this purpose, then decodesthe information using the secret decoding key or keys stored in thememory 12.

The microcomputer 4 then examines if the decoded message is consistentby means of a consistency check code CCC contained in this message. ThisCCC code allows verification that the received information is not simplya sequence of digits chosen at random. The methods allowing the checkingof the consistency of messages are extremely conventional, for examplein the field of data processing and telecommunications, and there is noneed to give a detailed description here. If the message is declaredinconsistent by the microcomputer 4, it is rejected and the draw is notvalid.

In the opposite case, the code representative of the week contained inthe decoded message is compared with the code S of the week in progressgenerated by the microcomputer 4 in association with the clock 10. Ifthe codes do not coincide, the draw is rejected.

If the week codes coincide, the microcomputer 4 determines what type ofdraw is concerned. In the present embodiment, the draws aredistinguished according to whether or not information must be enteredinto the device in the order of its appearance on the media andaccording to the duration of the period during which the informationsupplied to the user can be entered into the device. However, othercriteria for distinguishing draws can naturally be used.

In the example of FIG. 5, there are three types of draw:

the "non-sequenced week" NSS draw signifies that the encoded informationrelating to this type of draw may be entered in any order during a givenweek. This type of draw is preferably associated with distribution orcommerce;

the "non-sequenced day" NSJ draw signifies that the encoded informationrelating to this type of draw may be entered into the device in anyorder during a given day. This type of draw is preferably associatedwith the press; and

the "sequenced day" SJ draw signifies that the encoded items ofinformation relating to this type of draw must be entered into thedevice in the order in which they are provided to the users, and thismust be done during a given day. This latter type of draw is preferablyreserved for the audiovisual media (radio, television, datacommunications).

If, in the decoded information, the draw code corresponds to anon-sequenced week NSS draw, the microcomputer 4 identifies in thisinformation the nature of the medium which carried the encodedinformation. The microcomputer then determines, by means of another codein the decoded information, if the draw is of the "multi-media" type ornot. A draw is of the multi-media type if it requires that the user'swinnings depend on the user entering encoded information coming fromseveral media of different types.

In the negative, the microcomputer compares an order number contained inthe decoded information with the order numbers previously stored, forthe week in progress, in a table of the memory 12 containing all of theorder numbers of the encoded items of information entered into thedevice since the start of the week in progress, whatever the type ofmedia having distributed these items of information may be. As themaximum number of order numbers capable of being transmitted and storedduring a given period (day, week) is known, this number is that of thememory locations in the table and these locations have the differentpossible order numbers as their addresses. This configuration allows aminimising of the memory capacity necessary for storing the ordernumbers. The contents of this table are erased by the microcomputer 4 ateach change of week.

If the order number has not yet been allocated, it is stored in memoryand the microcomputer 4 increments a winnings counter by a certainnumber of points. This number of points is contained in encoded form inthe decoded information but, as a variant, it could be computed as afunction of the decoded information on the basis of one or more criteriasuch as the type of medium, the week number, etc . . . .

Assuming that the draw would be of the non-sequenced week andmulti-media type, the microcomputer compares the order number with thecontents of a table allocated to the medium which has been identified.There is therefore, in this case, a table of order numbers for each ofthe media of the multi-media draw. As in the preceding case, the draw isnot validated if the order number contained in the decoded informationhas already been stored in the table (the contents of this table arealso erased at each change of week). If such is not the case, the neworder number is stored in the table. The consecutive winnings inmulti-media draws will be taken into account in the winnings counter andthe effective participation in draws coming from several different mediawill have the effect of increasing these winnings according to the rulesprogrammed in the microcomputer. The winnings obtained by a user at theend of a multimedia draw will depend, for example, on the number ofdraws carried out for each medium, according to criteria whose detaileddescription is not within the scope of the present invention.

If the identified draw is of the non-sequenced day NSJ type, themicrocomputer checks if the day code of the decoded informationcorresponds to the code J of the day in progress according to the clockof the device. In the negative, the draw is not validated. If the day isvalidated, the check procedure is carried out, starting from theidentification of the medium, in the same way as that described withreference to the non-sequenced week draw. If the non-sequenced day drawNSJ, whether or not of the multi-media type, is validated, the pointsobtained are incremented in the winnings counter as described beforewith respect to the non-sequenced week draw. The table or tables storingthe order numbers are in this case erased at each change of day.

Finally, in the case of a sequenced day SJ draw, the microcomputer 4starts by determining if the day code of the decoded informationreceived is valid. In the negative, the draw is refused and, in theaffirmative, the microcomputer proceeds with the identification of themedium and then compares the order number of the decoded informationreceived with the order numbers already stored in a table allocated tothe identified medium. The contents of this table are erased at eachchange of day. The draw is rejected if the order number received is lessthan or equal to the last number stored in the table. In the oppositecase, the winnings counter is incremented by a number of pointsdetermined as described previously.

The result of the above is that a user has his participation in a drawvalidated and winnings are allocated to him each time he enters an itemof encoded information into his device under the prescribed conditions,the obtaining of minimum winnings being able, as a variant, to besubordinated to the entering of information coming from severaldifferent media in the case of a multi-media draw.

The existence of an absolute reference date generated in the device andthe storage in the latter of order numbers corresponding to the encodedinformation entered successively during the reference date prohibit auser from gaining points by entering the same encoded information intohis device several times. The corresponding tables are of course resetto zero at each change of date (day and week) in order to authorisedraws during the next period. In order to take account of possibledifferences between the clocks of the devices, the latter areneutralised, at each change of date, during a time computed according tothe spread of the differences over the entire service life of thedevices. The latter is limited to a predetermined value, 128 weeks forexample, by programming the microcomputer 4.

At a time determined or chosen by the user, for example when thewinnings counter has reached a predetermined number of points, its usercan have his device debited by all or some of the points acquired andcan have these points credited at an authorised organisation, which willgive him the right to a reward (prize, reduction on articles orservices, etc . . . )

This procedure allowing the user to see a certain number of pointscredited at the authorised organisation and the winnings counter of hisdevice debited by the corresponding number of points will be called thedebit and authenticating procedure in the rest of the description. Theauthenticating procedure is similar to that described in the Frenchpatent application 89 06848 to which reference can be made for fullerdetails.

FIG. 6 is a functional diagram showing the debit and authenticationfunction implemented by optical means. The left hand part of this figurecorresponds to the communications automaton of a server SE. The part tothe right of the dotted and dashed line (which represents a terminal 13of the server SE) corresponds to the device 1.

Block 17 corresponds to the generation by the server SE of an item ofcontrol information comprising the number of points which the userwishes to have debited from his device and a random number a. Block 18corresponds to the encoding and to the display of this number on thescreen 13e of the terminal. Block 19 corresponds to the opticalreception of data by the phototransistors 3 of the device 1. Block 20corresponds to the decoding, by the microcomputer 4, of the receiveddata. Blocks 21a, 21b and 21c correspond to the reading by themicrocomputer 4 of an internal identification number NII of the device,of the winnings G and of the date D respectively. Block 21b alsocorresponds to the comparison of the winnings G stored in the counterand the number of points which the user wishes to have debited. If G isgreater than the number of points requested, this number is taken intoaccount. In the opposite case, either the procedure can be interrupted,or the contents of the winnings counter G are taken into account.

Block 25 corresponds to the computation by the microcomputer 4 of acomposite code X from the code NII, from the number of points debited,from the date D contained in the device and from the received randomnumber a, according to an algorithm A. Block 22 corresponds to thedisplay on the screen 7 of the device 1 of the composite code x computedin 25. From this moment, the device 1 is inhibited and can no longer beused for new draws as long as it has not been enabled.

The user, represented by a circle 23, after reading from the screen 7,enters the code X displayed on the screen 7 on the keypad 13c of theterminal 13.

Block 24 corresponds, in the server S, to a computation carried out,using the random number a and according to an algorithm B correlatedwith the algorithm A, on the composite code X in order to decode thenumber of points debited and the date D and to compute an externalidentification code NIE, the said number being validated when the date Dis correct and when there is consistency between the externalidentification code NIE and check information known to the server. Ifthe algorithm B is symmetrical with the algorithm A, the codes NIE andNII are equal when there is consistency.

If consistency is established, the number of points thus validated iscredited by the server to the holder of the device, this holder beingidentified, for example, by the code NIE. When there is no consistency,the result is not allocated.

Consistency can be established, for example, by processing on the codeNIE, as a function of predetermined encoding rules, and/or bycorrelation of the code NIE with an item of external information enteredby the user into the server, for example the serial number of the card,the user's name, a password, etc . . . .

Block 26 corresponds to the display on the terminal of the server SE ofa code Y for enabling the device 1. The server SE issues this code ifthe authentication has been positive. The user enters it by means of thekeypad 8 of his device, which has the effect of enabling it and debitingthe winnings counter by the number of points credited in the server. Thedevice then displays a message on the screen 7 informing the user thatit is ready to be used again.

If the device 1 is not equipped with optical receiving means usingphototransistors, the authentication procedure can be carried out bytelephone. The user calls the server by telephone and, after makingcontact with an operator, states the serial number of his device whichis clearly indicated on that device and states the number of points tobe debited. The operator gives him the control information which shereads on the screen of the authenticating data processing system(server). The player enters this control information into his device andin return obtains the alphanumeric code X on the display of the device.

The user reads the code X on the screen 7 and gives it to the operatorwho types it in on the keypad of the authenticating data processingsystem. The latter indicates to the operator whether or not the card andthe winnings are authenticated and then, in the event of positiveauthentication, supplies the enabling code Y. The operator relates thisenabling code Y to the user who enters it into his device. The effect ofthis code Y is to enable the device and to debit the winnings counter bythe number of points chosen by the user. The device then displays amessage informing the user that it is ready to be used again.

As a variant, the device 1 can comprise a winnings counter associatedwith each medium. In this case, during the debit and authenticationprocedure, the user indicates the type of medium for which he wishes tobe debited a certain number of points. This allows the authorisedorganisation to measure the loyalty for each type of medium.

According to a second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8(in which the reference numbers from FIGS. 1 to 6, increased by 100,denote corresponding elements) , the portable electronic device 101 issplit into two subassemblies, namely the casing 102 whose variouscomponents are electrically supplied by the power supply source 109, anda removable subassembly M which does not have its own power supplysource, such as a microcircuit card, which can be inserted in a slot 130in the casing 102 in order to make an electrical connection with thecomponents of the latter.

According to this second embodiment, the protected memory intended tostore the various variable numerical values and the winnings of the useris moved into the subassembly M. This memory 131 is therefore aprogrammable read only memory which is read and/or write protected bymeans which are conventional in the field of microcircuit cards. Thememory 131 is connected by the intermediary of an interface circuit 132to a certain number of electrical contacts 133 capable of establishingan electrical connection with the electrical contacts 134 of the casing102 when the subassembly M is suitably engaged in the slot 130. Theelectrical contacts 134 are connected by the intermediary of aninterface circuit 135 to the microcomputer 104 and to the electricalpower supply source 109 in order to ensure the electrical power supplyof the memory 131 and the reading and/or writing of data in the latterfrom the microcomputer 104.

Once the subassembly M is inserted in the casing 102, the functioning ofthe assembly is identical to that described with reference to the firstembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. Because of the particularly smalldimensions which the subassembly M can have (preferably it has theformat of a standard credit card), the user can keep it with himpermanently and take part in draws at any place where a casing 102 isavailable to him. The user will be able to have the winnings stored inhis subassembly M credited in an appropriate terminal, for example whenall of the capacity of the memory 131 has been used and the subassemblywill have become useless.

As a variant, the means of processing capable of decoding the numericalinformation, of extracting the variable numerical value from it, ofcomparing it with the previously stored values and of validating or notvalidating the participation may also be moved totally or partially intothe subassembly M. Preferably, the means of processing thus moved areconstituted by a microcomputer (not shown) connected between theinterface circuit 132 and the memory 131.

According to a third embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9, theportable electronic device 201 is combined with a remote control devicefor a television set and/or with another device for gaining access to amedium. The single casing 202 thus groups the keypad 208 which isidentical to the keypad 8 in FIG. 2, a conventional remote controlkeypad 240 comprising a certain number of function keys t and a display206 common to the "participation" and "remote control" applications.Preferably, the microcomputer 4 is programmed to implement both of theseapplications and to control the transmitting units 241 (for examplelight emitting diodes) of the remote control, placed on the front edgeof the casing 202, just like the phototransistors 203.

The combining of the participation device in a common casing with aremote control device increases its ease of use during televisiontransmissions.

The second and third embodiments can furthermore be combined by movingthe functions of storing variable numerical values and winnings and,possibly, of processing data as described with reference to FIGS. 7 and8 from the casing 202 into the subassembly M.

It is obvious that the described embodiments are only examples and thatthey could be modified, in particular by the substitution of equivalenttechniques, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:
 1. Portable electronic device for validating participation ofan individual in a plurality of operations each involving the input insaid device under the command of said individual of at least one encodeddatum brought to the knowledge of said individual by at least oneinformation medium, comprising:data processing means; memory means; atleast one input interface for applying said encoded datum supplied bysaid information medium to said data processing means; said dataprocessing means comprising:means for decoding said encoded datum; meansfor extracting a variable numerical value from said decoded datum; meansfor comparing said extracted variable numerical value with at least onepreviously stored variable numerical value and for producing a firstoutput if said extracted variable numerical value exhibits apredetermined relationship with said at least one previously storedvariable numerical value and a second output if said extracted variablenumerical value does not exhibit said predetermined relationship withsaid at least one previously stored variable numerical value; means forconditionally validating said participation based on at least onecondition comprising the issuance of said second output by said meansfor comparing, said validating means: prohibiting validation of saidparticipation in response to said first output, and validating saidparticipation and storing said extracted variable numerical value insaid memory means if said at least one condition is fulfilled; saidmemory means being inaccessible from said input interface and beingcontrolled by said data processing means to store, over a period oftime, information representative of said at least one previously storedvariable numerical value; and an output interface to produce an outputcode representative of participations validated by said data processingmeans; and means for supplying electrical power to said data processingmeans and said memory means.
 2. Device according to claim 1, whereinsaid decoded datum further comprises a dating datum and wherein saidextracting means extracts said dating datum from said encoded datum,said validating means prohibits validation of said participation if saidextracted dating datum is representative of a date prior to a referencedate contained in said memory means, and wherein said data processingmeans changes said reference date in response to an updating datum anddeletes from said memory means, at each change of said reference date,said information representative of said at least one previously storedvariable numerical value.
 3. Device according to claim 2, wherein saidvalidating means stores said extracted dating datum with said extractedvariable numerical value in said memory means if said at least onecondition is fulfilled and said extracted dating datum is identical toor represents a date later than said reference date and wherein saidreference date is constituted by a most recent dating datum stored insaid memory means with a previously stored variable numerical value. 4.Device according to claim 3, wherein said extracted variable numericalvalue is an order number, and wherein said validating means validatessaid participation if said at least one condition is fulfilled and if,in case said extracted dating datum and said reference date areidentical, said extracted order number and said last order number storedare within limits imposed by values representing an order relationshipstored in said memory means.
 5. Device according to claim 2, whereinsaid device comprises a clock coupled to said data processing means inorder to supply an absolute date constituting said reference date, saiddata processing means authorizing said comparison of said extractedvariable numerical value with said at least one previously storedvariable numerical value when there is coincidence between saidextracted dating datum and said absolute reference date.
 6. Deviceaccording to claim 5, wherein said memory means comprises at least onememory unit forming a table having a plurality of memory locations, saidplurality of memory locations having numerical values as addresses, saidextracted variable numerical value being equal to one of said addressnumerical values and being stored as an item of information in one ofsaid memory locations having as address said one address numerical valueequal to said extracted variable numerical value.
 7. Device according toclaim 5, wherein said memory means comprises a plurality of memory unitswhich are selectively addressable by said data processing means ofprocessing as a function of a degree of resolution of said extracteddating datum.
 8. Device according to claim 5, wherein said memory meanscomprises a plurality of memory units selectively addressable by saiddata processing means as a function of an order datum contained in saidencoded datum and representative of a presence or absence of a conditionrelating to an order of entry of said encoded datum.
 9. Device accordingto claim 8, wherein said memory means comprises at least a first memoryunit whose memory locations are directly addressable in response to adetection of an order datum representative of an absence of saidcondition relating to an order of entry of said encoded datum, and atleast one second memory unit addressable according to a predeterminedaddressing sequence in response to the detection of an order datumrepresentative of said condition relating to an order of entry of saidencoded datum.
 10. Device according to claim 9, wherein said secondmemory unit is a register.
 11. Device according to claim 5, wherein saidmemory means comprises a plurality of memory units selectivelyaddressable by said data processing means as a function of a medium typedatum of said encoded datum which is representative of the type of saidmedium carrying said encoded datum.
 12. Device according to claim 1,further comprising a remote control unit contained in said casing forselectively remotely controlling gaining of access to a televisionscreen as said information medium.
 13. A device according to claim 1,wherein said memory means comprises storage means for storing at leastone winnings datum issued by said data processing means as a result of avalidated participation.
 14. Device according to claim 12, wherein saidstorage means comprises at least one winnings counter which isincremented at each validation of a participation.
 15. Device accordingto claim 14, wherein said data processing means increments said winningscounter by a quantity depending on a winnings datum contained in saidencoded datum.
 16. Device according to claim 14, wherein said dataprocessing means increments said winnings counter by a quantity which iscalculated according to a predetermined law stored in said memory, as afunction of at least one winnings datum contained in said encoded datumand/or stored temporarily or permanently in said memory means. 17.Device according to claim 12, wherein said data processing meanscomprises means for debiting and authenticating winnings stored in saidstorage means in response to participations validated by said validatingmeans, said debiting and authenticating means supplying a compositeoutput code by encoding, according to a first given algorithm as afunction of an item of control information comprising a random numbersupplied from an authorized organization, said debited winnings, saidreference date and unique identification code stored in said memorymeans, said authorized organization including means of computation forcarrying out, using said random number, according to a second algorithmcorrelated with said first algorithm, a computation on said compositeoutput code in order to decode said winnings and to compute an externalidentification code, said winnings being authenticated when there isconsistency between said external identification code and an item ofcheck information known to said authorized organization, provided thatsaid reference date is valid.
 18. Device according to claim 17, whereinsaid storage means comprises at least one winnings counter which isincremented at each validation of a participation, wherein said item ofcontrol information comprises an amount of said winnings that said userwishes to have debited from said winnings counter, and wherein said dataprocessing means comprises means for comparing said winnings stored insaid winnings counter with said amount to be debited and fordecrementing said winnings counter as a function of the result of saidcomparison.
 19. Device according to claim 18, wherein said storage meanscomprises a plurality of said winnings counters selectively incrementedin response to said validation of a participation as a function of amedium type datum of said encoded datum which is representative of thetype of said medium carrying said encoded datum, and wherein said itemof control information comprises a counter identification datum, saidwinnings being debited from one of said plurality of winnings countersidentified by said counter identification datum.
 20. Device according toclaim 17, wherein said data processing means comprises means forinhibiting said validating means in response to a delivery of saidcomposite output code, and for making said validating means operational,and for debiting said winnings from said storage means in response to anentry of an enabling code supplied by said authorized organization whensaid winnings are authenticated.
 21. Device according to claim 1,wherein said data processing means comprises means for error checkingand/or consistency checking in order to check said encoded datum as afunction of at least one check code contained in said encoded datum. 22.Device according to claim 1, wherein said data processing meanscomprises means for processing, according to a predetermined rule, as afunction of at least one secret datum stored in said memory means, arandom datum entered, and for storing an item of informationrepresentative of a result of said processing, said validating meansconditionally validating said participation based on a second conditioncomprising said result of said processing.
 23. Device according to claim1, wherein said input interface comprises a keypad.
 24. Device accordingto claim 1, wherein said input interface comprises optical means forreading information from a display screen.
 25. Device according to claim1, wherein said input interface comprises means for reading a bar code.26. Device according to claim 1, wherein said output interface comprisesa display screen.
 27. Device according to claim 1, wherein said dataprocessing means is a programmed microcomputer.
 28. Device according toclaim 1, further comprising a casing and a removable subassembly whichincludes said memory means and a means for connecting said subassemblyto said casing.
 29. Device according to claim 28, wherein said dataprocessing means is at least partly installed in said removablesubassembly.
 30. Device according to claim 28, wherein said removablesubassembly is constituted by a microcircuit card.
 31. Portableelectronic device for validating participation of an individual in aplurality of operations each involving the input in said device underthe command of said individual of at least one encoded datum brought tothe knowledge of said individual by at least one information medium,said encoded datum comprising at least one dating datum, said devicecomprising:data processing means; memory means; a clock for supplying anabsolute reference date to said data processing means; at least oneinput interface for applying said encoded datum supplied by saidinformation medium to said data processing means; said data processingmeans comprising:means for decoding said encoded datum; means forextracting said dating datum from said decoded datum; means forcomparing said extracted dating datum with said absolute reference dateand for producing a first output if said extracted dating datum exhibitsa predetermined relationship with said absolute reference date and asecond output if said dating datum does not exhibit said predeterminedrelationship with said absolute reference date; means for conditionallyvalidating said participation based on at least one condition comprisingthe issuance of said first output by said means for comparing, saidvalidating means; prohibiting validation of said participation inresponse to said second output; and, validating said participation andstoring in said memory means a data representative of said validation ifsaid at least one condition if fulfilled; said memory means beinginaccessible from said input interface; and an output interface toproduce an output code representative of participations validated bysaid data processing means; and means for supplying electrical power tosaid data processing means and said memory means.
 32. Device accordingto claim 31, wherein said comparing means produce said first output whenthere is coincidence between said extracted dating datum and saidabsolute reference date and said second output when there is nocoincidence between said extracted dating datum and said absolutereference date.